


Pulling Rank

by kentuckybarnes (hannah_jpg)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Whump, Ambiguous Interpretation of a Relationship, F/M, It was supposed to be fluff I swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-30 17:49:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15756711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannah_jpg/pseuds/kentuckybarnes
Summary: A mission has gone badly, and you have a reckoning.





	Pulling Rank

It's the beeping that finally brings you around. The sound has been niggling in your ears for a while, you guess, and as soon as you realize that it annoys you. Incessant, stereo beeping - you moan a little, and try to shift your head away.

Your head hurts. In fact, just about everywhere hurts - even through a medicated haze, you know something must have happened. If only you could remember precisely what.

Another few moments of gathering yourself, and you peek open your eyes to look around. A sterile, white room. Like a hospital. But through the glass windows you see Tony's lab just beyond. So the infirmary at Avengers Tower.

After a reasonable looksee at the room, your eyes trail downward to rest on a pair of black combat boots, propped up at the foot of your bed. Connected to a pair of thick legs in black denim, and up to a broad torso in a black t-shirt, slouched in a chair which had been pulled up next to you. Up further, and a worn copy of War and Peace is lowered slowly from a frowning face. There's a crunch - you wince at the sound - and Bucky lets his hand, holding an apple, lower to the armrest.

"Morning," he drawls, chewing loudly. "'Bout time you woke up."

"Bucky, please," you moan, closing your eyes tightly. "A lecture will just make my head hurt worse."

"Well, I'm glad you know you need a lecture."

A few, blissfully quiet moments pass, then Bucky takes another, unreasonably loud bite of apple. He's doing it on purpose, you know it. You try to ignore the sound.

"You know," he says at last, his voice quieter now. "When I said ' _let's go in to the room full of Hydra agents,'_  I didn't think you'd take it so literally."

You wince. "It seemed a pretty reasonable interpretation to me." You shift slightly in the bed, feeling the tug of IVs in your arm. A wave of nausea overtakes you; you hate needles. Taking a deep breath, you force your eyes open to stare - or more accurately: glare - at Bucky. He's glaring right back.

"So I went in," you say, and shrug your shoulders as if to say, no big deal.

"Without a plan."

"At least I was  _doing_  something!"

Bucky takes a sharp breath, his brows creasing together. "I didn't mean guns blazing!"

"You always mean guns blazing!"

His eyes are sparking blue, his jaw clenched. The heart monitor you're hooked to picks up a faster beat. You feel a little warmth steel across your face, and momentarily baffled, Bucky's gaze flits to the monitor. Then back to you. There the slightest tint of ironic smile on his face, and the warmth on your face deepens. Embarrassing as your reaction is, especially considering your state, it seems to soften him slightly, and he drops his book on your bed before gently picking up your hand. The pads of his fingers are rough, irritating the sensitive skin of your knuckles.

"That's not what I meant," he says now. "At least this time."

"Then be more specific  _next_  time."

Bucky's face twists with a wry smile. "Will you listen?"

"If I decide that you, as my subordinate, are being sensible." Your increased heart rate has brought back to the forefront of your attention the aches and pains in your body. Trying to keep a stoic face, you lift your other hand to press to your side. Bucky notices this, of course, and his brows quirk.

"Two bullets, Lieutenant," he informs you, ever so dryly. "One through your ribs, one in your left leg. And four Hydra agents were able to escape while I was trying to tidy things up."

It was worse than you expected. You try to smile, but it's painful. "Oops?"

"Oops doesn't quite cut it."

"But it's a start?"

His lips twitch. "It's a start. I guess."

You keep up your rueful, innocent smile, and at last Bucky relents. He lets out a low chuckle, and stands to crouch over you, kissing the top of your head. "You frightened me, sweetheart. I don't like that."

"Sorry, Sargeant."

"I'll have to forgive you, won't I? As a higher-ranking officer  _and_  my favorite girl."

You smirk. "I do love pulling rank."

"Don't I know it." Bucky's hands are braced on either side of the hospital bed, his glittering blue eyes boring into yours. You lift the hand that the IVs are in, ignoring the pull of needle through your skin, and gently trace along his jawline. Then he speaks, his voice low. "Don't get shot next time, yeah?"

"I suppose that is a sensible suggestion."

"I'm always sensible."

"And that...is debatable." You trace the outline of lips with the tip of your thumb. His eyes are darkening, and you bite your lip as your heart speeds up. The beeps on the monitor flare again. "Bucky?" you murmur.

"Yeah?" he asks hoarsely.

"Could...you could get me something to drink? I'm  _parched_."

After a second he gives a bark of laughter, and does as you say.


End file.
